Life-raft.



L. .H. HILL.

LlFE RAFT.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 4. IQI8.

tGfitGd Nov. 5, 1918..

wwmtoz L. H. HILL.

LIFE RAFT.

APPLICATION mm mm. 4. me.

1,283,766. Patented Nov. 5,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LA URA liH/LL m: Ian-nu nuns m. Pllmufnn vunllwmll. n c

- the city of Seattle, county of King, and;

UNIT ATES LAURA HQHILL, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

LIFE-RAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Nov. 5,1918.

Application fil ed March 4, 191 seri no. 220,183. c I

State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Rafts,

of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to life rafts and consists of a raft which is so constructed that it may be pitched into the water, either side up, and may then have the upper side opened up so as to. form a cage or box-like structure into which people may get and which is also provided with means for the storage of necessary supplies.

The object of my invention is to provide a raft which shall be capacious in its provision of space for people who are using it, and which may also be made safe so that there is no danger of people being washed therefrom. Other'objects of my invention will appear from a study of the specification and the claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the preferred manner of constructing my device.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the raft, one of the shutters being shown in closed position and the other in opened position.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

The chief flotation elements of this raft consist of two cylinders 1, as he'reinshown composed of sheet metal. In addition there are some small cylinders 10, one at each end, which, in addition to serving as flotation elements, are also provided with caps 11 at the upper and at the lower sides thereof,

these being removable and thus enabling the interior of these cylinders to be used as receptacles for supplies. The provision of the cap at both top and bottom side, results in having a cap in convenient position for removal whichever side up the raft may float. Both the cylinders 1 and 10 are shown as having conical ends. This is merely a matter of convenience of construction.

The frame which holds these flotation cylinders in position has transverse bars 2 which embrace the cylinders 1 at top and bottom. It also comprises longitudinal bars 20 which are placed across the bars 2 and also just inside of the cylinders 1. Bars 21, which connect the outer ends of the bars 2 serve to secure the cylinders in the frame.

The frame is also provided with'transverse bars 22 at .each end and with boards 23 which are adapted to act as seat boards or foot rests, each approximatelyonv the cen: .tral plane of the cylinders 1.

The space included between the two cylinders 1 is covered by two swinging grates or shutters 3, at each side of the raft. These shutters are hinged at their outer edges, namely, at the points 30, upon bars 31 which extend lengthwise of the raft and may swing either inward, so as to cover the space between the floats 1, or outward, so as to give a broader upper surface. In Fig. 1, one of these shutters is shown as swung outward and theother as swung inward.

Hinges 32 of ordinary character may be employed, but I prefer to employsecurifig means consisting of a rope 4 which is wound about one of the side bars of the shutter and the bar 31 of the frame, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. With this used, the hinges 32 may, if desired, be dispensed with. A central bar 33 may be employed extending lengthwise of the raft and centrally thereof, to which the swinging edgesof the shutters may be lashed by a rope or otherwise secured, as desired.

The construction, in so far as the provision of shutters and the manner of securing these, is alike for both sides of the raft. In

consequence, when the raft is thrown into the water it is immaterial which side thereof comes uppermost. The lashmgs of the upper shutters 3 maybe cut and the shutters swung outward. The shutters of the lower side then serve as a floor to prevent any one from slipping through. In this condition the board 23 may serve, either as a seat board or as-a support for'the feet,

in which latter case the upper bar 31 and 7 frame securing said floats in separated position, a pair of shutter frames at each side of the raft adapted together to cover the space between the floats, said shutter frames being hinged along their outer side edges to 1 swing outward and over the floats.

2. A life raft comprising a series of floats,: certain of said floats havlng removable caps j at top and atbottom sides thereof, a frame holding said floats bordering a central area,

shutters at both sides of the raft hinged along their outer side edges to swing over the floats, and means for normally holding said shut-tors swung inward.

3. A life raft comprising floats, a frame holding said floats separated and having seat boards just Within the floats and substantially in the axial plane of the floats, said frame also having bars extending l0 lengthwise of the floats and atopposite sides of the frame, and shutters hinged to said bars and adapted When swung inwardly to cover the space between the floats and to swing outwardly over the floats, and means for securing said shutters when swung inwardly.

Signed at Seattle, lVashington, this 25th day of February 1918.

LAURA H. HILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

